Container vacuumizing and closing machine



July 4, 1950 H. B. PETERSON ET AL 2,513,357

CONTAINER VACUUMIZING AND CLOSING MACHINE Original Filed Jan. 14, 1942 Illllllwlllllll IN V EN TORS .ELM 257/ ia/v-YS Patented `uly r4, 1950 CONTAINER VACUUMIZING AND CLOSING MACHINE vHoward B. Peterson, San Francisco, and Roland E. Renard, San Jose, Calif., assignors to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Original application January 14, 1942, Serial No.

426,760. Divided and this application November 25, 1944, Serial No. 565,136 f 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to a Vacuum closing machine for sealing containers or cans and has particular reference to vacuum devices for vcontrolling the operation of a knockout -element used in the machine. This is a division of our United States application Serial Number 426,760 led January 14, 1942 for Closing Machine, issued April 9, 1946 as Patent No. 2,397,979.

An object of the invention is the provision, in a can closing machine of a knockout pad located in a can sealing head and which is controlled by a vacuum condition within a can sealing chamber forming a part of the machine so that the can cover will be held in place on the can duringthe operations incident to closing the can.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, Ataken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figurev 1 is a vertical section taken through the can sealing chamber portion of a can clos-l ing machine embodying the instant invention; and

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are fragmentary enlarged see-` tional views oi. the closing head knockout and its associated parts used in the machine and a fcan and cover to be united to seal the can, the views illustrating the different positions of the moving parts in relation to the can and the cover during the operations incident to closing the can.

As a preferred embodiment of the instant invention the drawings illustrate an improved knockout device for a vacuum can closing machine. In a closing machine, filled sheet metal cans A are vacuumized and are then closed with covers or end members B which are secured in place on the cans by an interfolding of flange vparts to produce uniting seams of the Well-known double seam character.

A can A to be vacuumized and closed is placed,

in any suitable manner, within a sealing chamberI 2l (Fig. 1) partially enclosed by walls of a frame 22 which constitutes the main frame of the machine. In the instant machine the remainder of the sealing chamber is enclosed by a door 23 which is hingedly secured to the machine frame although the invention is equally well adapted` to other types of machines in which cans are passed into the chamber through valves or other means. The chamber and the can therein are vacuumized from any suitable source of vacuum we 2 through an opening or hole 24 formed in th chamber enclosing walls of the frame 22. The usual cut-off valve in the vacuum line (not shown) connecting with the hole 24 is utilized. to control the exhausting of the air from the chamber and `the breaking of the vacuum at the proper time.

The can'while in the sealing chamber 2| is supported on a lifter pad or support 25 which is mounted on the upper end of a vertically mov-.-

able rod 26 carried in a long bearing block L21 secured in a bearing 28 formed in the framex23j during vacuumization of the chamber and the Can.

While the can A and the chamber 2| are inA a vacuumized condition, the can is raised by the lifter pad 25 to meet the Acover B and then both can and cover are further lifted into a continu-5 ously rotating sealing head 36 (Fig. l) for thecan sealing operation hereinbeiore mentioned.r

The sealing is effectedpreferably by seaming, rollers 31 which are carried on the head in the manner usual in such sealing heads.

The hinged door 23 and the sealing head 36 may be of the character shown and described respectively at 25 and 55 in United States Pat`l ent 2,113,591, issued April 12, 1938 to S.v S. Jacobs,

on Vacuum Closing Machine. The sealing head; 36 is mounted in the sealing chamber 2| and is carried on a hollow vertical shaft 4| journaled in a bearing 42 and in a casing 43 mounted on',

The shaft rotates,` on a sleeve 44 which is carried in a bearing 45 The sleeve.l guides a knockout stem 48 which extends down'. l through the sealing head and carries on its lower f top of the machine frame 22.

spaced above the shaft bearing 42.

end a knockout pad or element `49.

The sealing head 36 is rotated continuously through a differential drive as by a pair of spur, gears 5|, 52 which are mounted on the head shaft 4| and on the rotatable sleeve 44 within the shaft. This is a usual sealing head drive. These 1 gears mesh with andare driven by a pair of,A driving gears 53, 54 which are mounted on a vertical drive shaft 55 journaled in bearings 56, 51;V formed in the casing 43. The upper end ofthe the'cov'er support Aring 3|".

drive shaft carries a grooved pulley 58 which is rotated in any suitable manner as by means of a belt 59.

Referring now to the knockout. stem 48 it will l be observed that thefupp'er end or this stem eX-' tends up into a hollow casing 62 (see also Figs.

2, 3 and 4) enclosing a compartment or chamberV 63 covered on its top by a flexible vacuum cup or diaphragm 64. The cup is) secured'tothe--topf end of the knockout stem and is backed up by' a compression spring 55A surrounding the stem inside the casing. Compartment 63 constitutes av Variable pressure chamber which .isaconstantly in communication with the sealing chamber 2i by way of a tube 66 which connects these parts.

` The outer surface of the vacuum cup. or diaphragm 64 is subjected at all times to outside atmospheric pressure which enters the casing 43 through holes or apertures 61 in a walltof the casing.

Thus when' an atmospheric?. pressure condition exists Within the sealing: chamber 21.-; as when theE chamber door 23V. is open, or. has just been l holcthe knockout pad 49am a normal position` within. the sealingV head 36, Aas ibest shown in When the sealing chamber 2 lhas become evacnum-ized, by operationof the described usual control valve in the vacuum line-f leading from-the holev24,- the air is exhausted from'the knockout compartment 63 by vwayofthe tube `$56- and' this imbalancesthe pressureA on the vacuum cup- 64'-,- Atino'spheric pressureacting` on theeouter surface oil thevcupat such a time compresses the spring 65; and thus lowers vthe knockout stem-'1218.A This brings-the knockout pad-'49 down intoengagement with the can cover B in the ring3l assho'wnin'f-Fig: 2l andi thusholdsthe coverunder pressureuntil the-rising can A picksitup.

ADuring themupwardtrayel ofthe can-y and the cover,-the canthrough the cover-lifts vthe-limoen'- OutpadA E9; against the atmospheric pressure on theyacuum cupcordiaphragm t4: lThisr action' takspl'acewhilethe 'pressure' onther can cover Mito hold'theknockout pad tight against thecan cover, asshown in Fig; 3'.

vAt-the completion vof" a can sealing" operation as the-sealed can is moved by the lifter' pad`2'5` down into its original' position; the atmosphericv pressure'acting on the outer'surface of the vacuunrcupi still holds the knockout pad 49 in contact with thecan cover. sealed can down until'it is below and clear of Fig-4 `shows thecan further lowered from the pad.

When the vacuum is broken 'withiirtlre sealing in the-vacuum Al-ine as hereinbefore'mentionied, sue-h a conditionis relayedV to the" compartment 63by Y way of the tube 56% Thespring 65 thereL ofthe-cover supportring" 3| .and will not inter- This pushes the' l chamber 21,' by operation of the described'@valve` fere with the opening of the door 23 to remove the sealed can. In this manner and by these devices the operation or `vertical reciprocation of the rknockout pad 49 is controlled `.by the vacuum condition in the sealing. chamber 2i| 4throughout the entire can vacuumizing and sealing cycle of the machine.

It is thought that the invention and many of its'V attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts withoutzdepartingv from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material ad vantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

We claim:

1. In a machine for vacuumizing and sealing containers, the combination of a sealing charnber, means for vacuuinizing said chamber, a container sealing.. head within saidchamber',4 a supportl alsok within said` chamber tor hold-ing a. container and a superimposed cover: in seal'.- ingposition in said head', a movable knockout member having an actuatingfstem in said head for holding the coveronithe'container and forV ejecting thesealedl container from the head, a casingsurroundingsaidVv stem enclosing a com partment adjacent the. stem,. means fory cornmuni'cably connecting saidv compartment with. said cany sealingchamber for transmitting the air" pressure condition of'. said chamber tosaid, compartment, and a flexible diaphragn-i` conv sti-tuting a wall of said@ casing.y enclosingVv said compartment, said diaphragm being secured to said knockout, stem and having its outer surface-exposed to atmospheric conditions?,v said; diaphragmactuating said/stem and itsiattached.Y

container and a superimposedf cover in* sealing posi-tion:` in said head; a movablel knockout. elenier-1tI having: anuactuating` stem in saidthea'd for holding the. cover on the container and forejectging-thesealed container'fromtheheadf, a casing. surrounding. said stern enclosingn a compartment;

adjacent the stem, a tube communicably.: conine'cting` said compartment with said cansealing chamber for creating-'the same-air vpressure cony ditionsinsaid cham-befand insaid comparta ment, a nexible diaphragm constituting. a-wal1* of 'saidicasing' enclosing 'saidl compartment,- said* diaphragm being secured to said' 'knockout ele-r ment stein andi exposed'onits outer surface' to atmospheric conditions; said diapliragmactivatr ing said stem and its attached knockout element in accordance withN airY pressure rconditions within said sealing chamberfor 'moving said knockout elementinto and out of# operatingv engagement with saidE containercover; andi a compression spring` in said compartment en'ga'gv ing said diaphragm and exerting counter` prese sure against atmospheric pressure on-thedia-" phr'agm/for reciprocating said.' .knockout element; towardsl 'and away 'from the" container.. vcoverffor 3. A .machine for vacuuinizin'gand sealing"- con-tain'ers, comprising-'a se'aiing 'chamber Iliana` ing means connected thereto for drawing a vacuum therein, a sealing head within said cham-ber, a variable pressure chamber communicably connected to and responsive to pressure conditions in said sealing chamber, a movable support disposed Within said sealing chamber for holding a container and its superimposed cover in sealing position in said head, movable knockout means in said head extending into said pressure chamber for holding the cover on the container and for ejecting the sealed container from the head, and means responsive to air pressure outside of said sealing chamber for moving said knockout means into operating engagement with said container cover.

4. A machine for vacuumizing and sealing containers, comprising a sealing chamber having means connected thereto for drawing a vacuum therein, a container sealing head Within said chamber, a variable pressure chamber communicably connected to and responsive to pressure conditions in said sealing chamber, a movable support disposed within said sealing chamber for holding a container and its superimposed cover in sealing position in said head, movable knockout means in said head extending into said pressure chamber for holding the cover on the container and for ejecting the sealed container from the head, means normally holding said knockout means within said sealing head, and means in said pressure chamber connected to said knockout means and responsive to atmospheric pressure outside of said sealing chamber for moving said knockout means relative to the sealing head into operating engagement With said container cover.

HOWARD B. PETERSON.

ROLAND E. RENARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,012,971 Nordquist Sept. 3, 1935 2,113,591 Jacobs Apr. 12, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 335,177 Great Britain Sept. 17. 1930 

